|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Dozens of frustrated parents and community members laid into top Mountain View Whisman District officials Thursday afternoon, demanding a complete reversal of a decision earlier this month to remove four school principals and decrying what they called a bogus job review.
In a closed-session vote on March 1, trustees unanimously voted to remove, or “release,” Landels Elementary School Principal Steve Chesley, Mistral Elementary Principal Marcela Simoes de Carvalho and Graham Middle School Principal Kim Thompson. Theuerkauf Elementary Principal Ryan Santiago was also removed from his position at the school, and reassigned as a new assistant principal at Graham Middle School
Although the topic wasn’t on the agenda, the March 15 meeting marked the first chance for district residents to weigh in on the decision in person. The board meeting ended up as something of a release valve for frustration that had been building over the last two weeks. Parents and students packed the multipurpose room at Graham with signs made out of everything from paper plates to huge construction paper, all showing overwhelming support for reinstating the ousted principals, particularly Thompson and Chesley.
The sweeping decision to remove nearly half of the district’s principals at the end of the school year was a bombshell that, to parents, came out of nowhere and seemed ill-advised. Landels PTA president Laryssa Polika-Engle said Chesley had a strong track record, championing initiatives to improve student literacy and partnering with the PTA to bring new programs to the school. Getting rid of him without consulting with parents — and for opaque reasons — has “fractured” the community and given rise to an atmosphere of frustration and fear, she said.
“I cannot stress the importance of clear communication enough,” she said.
Thompson, currently the longest-serving principal in the district, has been a “pillar” in the community, said parent Monica Teicher, who called the decision to remove Thompson “deeply troubling.” She credited her for shepherding the school through turbulent times, including massive school site construction, a total revamp of Castro Street and the roll-out of the flawed Teach to One math program in 2016. The community is tired of the lack of transparency, she said, and recent decisions by the board and district administration leave her and other parents with little reason to trust them.
“I frankly have no more trust left to give you,” she said.
Emotions ran high throughout more than an hour of public speakers, with clapping and cheering bubbling up despite repeated directions by board president Laura Blakely to refrain from clapping. Parents showed support for the speakers by flapping their signs — another action Blakely asked them to stop.
Although no teachers spoke at the meeting, Landels parent Ania Mitros said the teachers she spoke to at her school were uneasy about the decision to drop a well-respected administrator like Chesley. She said one teacher shared that the school staff are “living in fear of the superintendent,” and that other teachers seemed to agree.
“When I hear things like this, from people who are working directly with (Chesley) and seeing what he does, it’s really hard not to wonder how this decision could have been made,” she said. “It’s hard to believe that they needed to be fired.”
The central question at the meeting was what information and metrics the board used in closed session to judge the principals’ performance, since it seemed so starkly different from the avalanche of public support. The school board and district administrators have kept most of that information under wraps — citing confidentiality regarding personnel matters — but did reveal that personal performance, evaluations, survey results and student academic performance were all taken into account.
This didn’t sit well with parents, who had recently taken a “school climate” survey and said they had no idea that information would eventually be used to oust top school administrators.
After reviewing the results, Landels parent Tushar Moorti said the survey appeared deeply flawed, and designed in such a bizarre way that a “somewhat positive” or “slightly positive” answer was painted as a negative result against the overall score for categories including family engagement, school climate and school safety.
Regardless of the quality of the survey data, Graham parent Ellen Judd said she saw no compelling results from Graham’s surveys, along with test scores and the district’s recently minted strategic plan, that indicates Thompson was a poor fit and had to go.
“I just haven’t heard anything make this make sense to me, that Ms. Thompson needs to be fired,” she said.
Parent Fan Kong said the school board should consider that the information they were fed by district administrators doesn’t paint the full picture, and cautioned them not to disregard the will of the voters.
“I really hope this fiasco doesn’t become the end of your public service life,” he said.
Several parents said that the principal firings amount to the latest in a string of debacles starting with Teach to One, which was implemented in fall 2016 and eventually scrapped after intense parent opposition and huge problems behind the scenes that were largely withheld from the public and the school board. Bubb Elementary School parent Karin Dillan said it feels like the school district follows a common strategy where it makes an unpopular decision without feedback, faces heavy protest and eventually reverses the decision because of the backlash. She pointed to school overcrowding last year, when it took public pressure to make sure kids living practically next door to Huff and Bubb elementary schools were allowed to attend despite overcrowding on the campuses.
One looming concern among Graham parents is that several big changes are on the way for the district’s middle schools, including a complicated new schedule and a “co-teaching” model designed to help special needs students — both of which require big staffing changes. But with the loss of Thompson and assistant principal Heidi Galassi, who will be leaving to become the new principal at Landels, the longest-tenured administrator at the school will have only been there since October. Graham parent Alan Wessel said the poor timing will be disruptive and harmful to students, and that removing all four principals months before the end of the school year engulfs school communities in “unnecessary discord.”
“It is clear that the manner in which you have proceeded hurts, rather than helps, our children,” he said.
At the end of the meeting, board members weighed how to respond, particularly given the harsh criticism that the district fails to listen to parents and other stakeholders. Board member Greg Coladonato said it might be worth revisiting the surveys used for administrative reviews, and that parents he spoke to felt like the data was poorly used.
“I’d like to make sure that our surveys are done well and used well, and if we aren’t, then we should fix that,” he said.
Board member Jose Gutierrez said town hall-style events at school sites might be a good way to improve communication and get feedback from the parent community, given that many parents feel like their only avenue for talking to trustees is to show up at board meetings when they are mad.
“Despite what you read in the Voice or what have you, the reality is that we are here to try and do the best we can in the best interest of our kids, no matter what,” Gutierrez said.
Let the fireworks in the comments section begin!
Both parents and district need to understand two things. Change is inevitable, but getting to the point of going from good to great takes time and patience. Seems like the principle at Crittenden is doing well and she’s not originally from here. I just hope the animosity stops, Mountain View is better than that.
I truly believe that the ill-will that Ayinde has built up with this community is fueling this outcry.
I’ve had kids in MVWSD for going on a decade and have seen a revolving door of principals in 3 schools now. For the most part, people were a little unhappy about it when a principal left, but there wasn’t much of an outcry. Personnel files are private, after all, and I think parents understood they might not know all the reasons a principal left but basically trusted the district leaders.
That is not the case at this point. Between his abrasive style and leadership by fiat approach, his ineptitude shown by the TTO scandal in the middle schools, his ridiculously poor communication skills despite having a PR “expert” on staff, and his hostile approach to our highly successful choice programs, Rudolph does not have the backing or support of the community. The school board should take this outcry as a vote of no confidence in our superintendent and act accordingly.
If you attended the meeting last night, Rudolph and his district staff and the school board have already shown to be incapable of properly leading or implementing any successful program, and, above all, communicating anything but lies to the community. IT’S TIME TO RECALL THEM ALL!
Board President Blakely had no problem telling parents to stop clapping while she refuses to recognize that Rudolph has been lying. She claims Rudolph has been evaluating principals, but in truth he has not. She claims that Rudlpoh has been visiting campuses twice a month, but he has not. She claims it’s about test scores and climate surveys, but the facts do not support the pattern by which principals were released by Rudolph. All this amounts to lie after lie with no explanation offered. In the meantime, the good names of highly qualified, experienced and loved principals are dragged through the mud. SHAME ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. They have displayed ZERO appreciation or grace in the handling of the mess they created. NOT ONE HAS EVEN DEEMED IT FIT TO OFFER AN APOLOGY! SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!
Rudolph’s tenure and legacy is one of failed and toxic leadership. As we have pointed out on another thread, district office inside sources, long-time staff and those who have been loyally serving the community for many years, say that at the district office level Rudolph has created nothing other than a hostile work environment. He is dependent for support solely on Carmen Ghysels and the district spin officer, Shelly Hausman, all of whom have been working late into the night lately trying to get their stories straight over the gutting of nearly half of the principals. They report Rudolph has a very bad temper and can’t control his anger. He yells at and berates people and does not let them speak. He even has his executive assistant eavesdrop on employee email! Basically, unless you are saying something that agrees with his opinion he doesn’t want to hear it. It’s all about being loyal to his agenda, and agenda he can’t even articulate to the community. If he feels your school has embarrassed him or wounded his ego, you will all pay. Which is amusing of course since he seems to be bringing all the trouble on himself. ONE NEED ONLY LOOK AT THE SURVEY RESULTS OF RUDOLPH TO FIND HE RANKS HE LOWEST OF ALL ADMINISTRATORS!
Moving on, trustee Gutierrez should have recused himself from the vote on dropping the principals given his many conflicts of interest and blatant acts of retribution against teachers and principals. He’s been lying for so long it’s hard to keep his stories straight. Board President Blakley doesn’t even want to go there. Yes, we can imagine how embarrassed and compromised that would make the board appear. At least tell us how much money Gutierrez’s spouse has been making while this dynamic duo harassed and undermined teachers and principals! WHEN WILL THE BOARD INVESTIGATE Gutierrez’s complete lack of professional ethics, honesty and honor?!? He has been manipulating people for his own ego for far too long. He is Nelson 2.0.
And lastly, the Oscar at last night’s board meeting definitely goes to former board member and current principal Gloria Higgins who got up and made the public comment after closed session that the district and students success is not about individuals, such as the principals let go, but rather the team, and apparently she feels pretty confident in the team going forward. Wow, Gloria! Just wow. You must have asked for a few extra knives of your own when they were being passed out. You must really be gunning for a district office job. As one speaker from the audience put it, none of this passes the sniff test.
Hi Parent Posse,
If you would like to talk about whatever is on your mind I’ll be at RedRock coffee shop tomorrow morning from 9:00 to 9:30 am.
Best,
Trustee Jose Gutierrez
Hi Parent Posse,
I forgot to mention, my wife Shannon will also be there at the coffee shop with me, in case you’d like to ask her questions about her being a substitute teacher in the district, or when she taught after school Lexia to help ELL’s try to reclassify or her help with the Castro/Mistral library.
Thanks again,
Trustee Jose Gutierrez
Your comments sure do sound like sour grapes from one of the principals who was released. Or maybe it was written by your husband on your behalf?
@parentposse thank you for your efforts. On the right path here. Some folks trying to come up clean from the mud.
Hey, let’s stop the personal attacks, please. This is not an easy situation, we need to show respect.
Thank you,
Trustee Jose GutierrezDodv
I’ve heard that the principals who were reassigned were given an outside coach based on previous performance feedback. I’ve also talk with a few teachers who felt that they don’t have full confidence in their principal leaders. (Disorganized, no follow through, lack of in-class support). It was also rumored last year that one principal announced to their teaching staff, that if she/he didn’t improve, they would be fired next year.
So, is it possible that these individuals knew beforehand and were looking to not have THIS much attention drawn to them. The parents want answers, and maybe this isn’t in these individuals best interests to have dirty laundry aired for all to see.
All the comments from the board meeting last night focused on how great these individuals were at building relationships and making people feel comfortable. These are excellent qualities to have, but none of them focused on the leadership of their teachers. At the end of the day, a principal has to make teaching and learning their priority
Shining example of “respect” for how these administrators were treated, right.
Don’t believe the hype.
When will the servay come out to evaluate Superintendent Rudolph.
His behavior and inability to perform at quality stander should be treated the same as our school principals.
Every member of the MVWSD school board thinks they are doing what’s best. And every one of them dedicates 10-20 largely uncompensated hours a week because they want better schools.
They are however stuck in group thinking and unwilling to admit error. A culture of fearing dissenting voices can be seen in the maneuvers done each year to keep Trustee Coladonato (elected four years ago) from becoming board president.
The board’s refusal to go back to a traditional rotation of board presidents, based on time served, means that board presidents are learning as they go, rather than the past precedent of serving their time as clerk, vice president, and then president. Rotations help the board president see their role as a temporary facilitator and meeting manager, there to serve their colleagues. But when you stop rotating, the board presidency takes on an outsized role, too close to the district staff, one above their colleagues. Our current board president does the very best she can, but restoring institutional traditions would have helped.
The parents made a powerful case for why Graham and Landels stand by their principals, the first hour of Thursday’s board meeting is a beautiful testament to the work of great principals (only a great principal can move parents to action in this way): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djDIZB9V8Bo yet there is no indication from closed session reporting and future agenda discussions that there is any change in their thinking.
On-going efforts to protest their decision will not change it. I encourage parents to consider shifting their energies to lobbying for future board policies on parent inclusion on principal selection or redefining what makes a good principal at the district level, and at their school sites: celebrating their departing principal.
It’s tricky business asking a board to undue decisions of its one and only employee, the superintendent. It’s far less messy for a board to question things before a vote, so help the board formalize its role and the community’s role in giving future collaborative feedback to the district.
The board forgets its role as a “canary in the coal mine” towards caution the district office doesn’t see. And that parents (or teachers) also see things that the board does not see, and when parents (or teachers) trouble themselves to come to a board meeting late at night, they have valuable perspectives the board may have missed.
@Christopher Chiang Every member thinks he or she (not “they”) is (not “are”) doing what’s best. Does the current Superintendent fashion himself a local Donald Trump who likes to display his power by firing or demoting others?
Once again, I’m tickled by the lack of understanding of how our schools work. There are people who claim to be involved in our schools who honestly believe that principals aren’t given evaluations? Seriously? The first thing this Super did when he got here was evaluate the entire district. Every school, every principal, our plan for the future. So, yes they all get evaluated. I’m certain they all saw it coming. While all these oblivious parents seemg to have been caught off guard, there were plenty of other parents who also saw this coming and witnessed the difficulties that made these actions necessary. Based on the needs of the district, and the performance of its administrators, it was decided that some changes needed to be made. This is a common thing. It seems strange that nearly everything our school district does becomes a topic for hysterics. We can’t build schools, try new programs, remove ineffective administrators, clean up our boundaries or do anything else without a certain group of knuckleheads feeling like their being bullied because the superintendent is doing his job. Like I’ve said before, I never saw any of this complaining when either of the last two Superintendents did any of this same work. Hmmm…..I wonder what that could mean.
PRESS RELEASE
4/2/2010
Kim Thompson Named as Principal of Graham Middle School for 2010-11
Last night the MVWSD Board of Trustees approved the selection of Kim Thompson as the Principal of Graham Middle School, starting in August for the 2010-11 school year.
Currently serving as the Assistant Principal of Graham since January, Ms. Thompson is a 12-year team member of the district having taught at Bubb Elementary School, served as a teacher leader in mathematics and professional development, and is a graduate of MVWSD’s Leadership Academy. Ms. Thompson is also a parent of two students who are Graham School graduates.
Dr. Maurice Ghysels, Superintendent, exclaimed, “We couldn’t be more thrilled with Ms. Thompson’s leadership for Graham. Kim’s warmth, work ethic and dedication are inspiring and remarkable. She’s the right person for this position, and we’re excited about her passion and vision for Graham.”
https://groups.google.com/a/mvwsd.org/forum/#!topic/mvwsd/XwdZUXhrsss
Salem Superintendent candidate Ayinde Rudolph stresses urban experience
By John Castelluccio Staff Writer
The Salem News, March 4, 2015
SALEM — Ayinde Rudolph confessed he’s a Reds fan since he’s from Cincinnati, but his hometown doesn’t have a pro basketball team, so he has no problem rooting for the Boston Celtics. That drew laughs from the crowd of 25 parents, teachers, school administrators and local officials in the Saltonstall School auditorium Wednesday evening.
Rudolph, one of three finalists for the job of school superintendent, was in Salem to visit the city’s schools, meet teachers and parents and field any questions they had for him. The community forum was held at Saltonstall School prior to his formal public interview with the School Committee last night.
If hired to lead the Salem schools, it would be Rudolph’s first superintendent post. He has spent 21/2 years as an associate director of school transformation at Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, a federally funded public-private partnership in a neighborhood of Buffalo, New York. He spent eight years in Charlotte, North Carolina, as a principal and administrator in multiple posts, turning around struggling schools. Prior to that, he taught for four years in Virginia.
“You’re all passionate about the same thing,” Rudolph told the crowd Wednesday, adding that they may have disagreements on how to accomplish certain goals but they’re all “passionate about kids.” He said that’s one reason Salem is an attractive community for him.
Rudolph fielded a wide breadth of questions over an hour, ranging from how he would preserve unique identities of each school while sharing best practices to why he chose Salem, his ideal type of teacher and classroom setting, and the superintendent’s relationship with the School Committee.
“We know that there are a set of qualities that all schools have to have in order for kids to be successful,” said Rudolph, responding to a question about school cultures and practices.
He said great schools must have a student voice, good teachers that work together, academic rigor and good leadership.
“Great teachers work for great leaders,” he said. “Great teachers don’t want to work for poor leaders. You’re not just going to say my kid is a number. Well, the same thing has to be said about schools.”
Community partnerships, data-driven instruction and accountability, and parental involvement are all key to success as well, he said, while administrators should work with principals on problem-solving, best practices and pragmatic approaches to issues.
Why Salem? “I love Halloween,” Rudolph replied, smiling.
“I think there’s a couple of interesting things about Salem. The first one is you have this commitment — we value diversity within our schools,” he said, such as arts focus at one building and a Montessori approach at another. “The second is that I have yet to meet a person who isn’t concerned with the outcome.”
From the people he’s talked with so far and the comments he’s read, Rudolph said, everyone is committed to making sure Salem picks the right superintendent and people are committed to enacting change. He highlighted his background in urban education and said Salem still a small enough community where he could interact with most parents.
The School Committee’s job is to set the vision for the district and the superintendent’s job is to execute that vision, Rudolph said, responding to a question about the relationship between the two.
“It’s my job to develop a plan of action,” he said. The superintendent should also facilitate dialogue on schools’ needs and balance that with what people want. A third important role, he said, is to shepherd the board through reflection on major initiatives to see if the district has lived up to what it intended to do.
Superintendent finalists Margarita Ruiz and Ventura Rodriguez will have their community forums and interviews Thursday. The School Committee plans to decide who to hire on Friday.
http://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/salem-superintendent-candidate-ayinde-rudolph-stresses-urban-experience/article_86e7010f-41e6-56aa-9def-3fff4555039c.html
Does anyone know why Dr. Rudolph left mid-year the position he held prior to being hired by MVWSD?
12th candidate applies for Lafayette superintendent
The Daily Advertiser, March 31, 2015
Ayinde Rudolph of Buffalo, New York has applied to be the next Lafayette Parish school superintendent.
Rudolph is the 12th person to apply for the position. The other applications were opened Monday. Rudolph will be considered because his application was postmarked by the March 27 deadline.
Rudolph most recently was the associate director of school transportation and a principal at the Westminster Community Charter School in the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood. He held that position from October 2012 to January 2015.
Before that, Rudolph was a principal and assistant principal in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System in North Carolina.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, a master’s degree in education and an educational specialist degree from George Washington University and a doctorate of education from Vanderbilt University.
https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/education/2015/03/30/applicants-vie-lafayette-parish-superintendent/70684426/
Jose,
instead of coffee with Parent Posse, why not meet with ELAC to explain why you get rid of our Director Kim Thompson?
I have utmost respect for Chelsey, who also happens to be very personable and great with kids.
Having said that, the unfortunate reality is that we live in one of the most expensive areas where things like GreatSchools rating matters a whole lot. It doesn’t help that GreatSchools has revised their rating metrics recently and Landels now rates 6 out of 10 (formerly 8). And when such thing happens, the property value can take a hit (not that I see property price falling from last year’s sky high price).
It is worth pointing out that most schools experienced severe drop this year. Bubbs is now an 8, which used to be a 10 school.
Instead of focusing on the kids, school educators need to game GreatSchools system to boost the score, ultimately property price, which brings in more tax revenue. It’s a selfish money driven system, and Chesley and others are the victims.
My kid used to be in Landels and now attending Los Altos public school. The difference is dramatic, but not from educators. It is the support from parents, who work tireless to support the educators and children. So in a way, parents let Chesley down also, not just the superintendents.
Hi ELAC Voice, I have spoken to several families from different schools who are ELAC members and Spanish speakers, but not all schools or all members. Many also have my cell phone and we have talked, emailed or texted. In fact at yesterday’s coffee only one person showed up and it was a Spanish speaking Graham parent. We spoke for an hour and a half. If there is an interest to have a larger forum, please email me at my district email. jgutierrez@mvwsd.org.
Thanks,
Trustee Jose Gutierrez
FYI – I will be there as a Theuerkauf parent.
—————————
Next steps: Principal selection process
Friday, March 16, 2018 6:10 PM
From: “MVWSD” <supt@mvwsd.org>
Dear Parents,
As part of its search for a new principal for Theuerkauf, the District is seeking parent and staff feedback through focus groups, as well as online. Your input is valued and appreciated.
We welcome Theuerkauf’s staff members and parents to a session on:
Tuesday, March 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Theuerkauf library. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
We know time is limited. If you prefer, you may contribute thoughts anytime on the attributes you would like to see in your school’s new leader online here.
A representative group will interview the candidates. The school’s interview team will include teachers from a range of content areas and grades, classified staff members, administrators, and parents from PTA, School Site Council and ELAC (English Language Advisory Committee).
Timeline and Steps
• March 5-16 : Position opening is advertised
• March 16-22: Feedback from the school community will be gathered
• March 23-30: Principal interviews
• April 19: Superintendent presents to Board for final approval
• April 20: Present candidate to staff and community
Thank you for your support of our school.
@Cleave Frink
“feeling like their being bullied because the superintendent is doing his job. Like I’ve said before, I never saw any of this complaining when either of the last two Superintendents did any of this same work. Hmmm…..I wonder what that could mean. ”
Sorry, Mr. Frink, I will totally disagree with you on that claim!
I am quite clear in my memories of massive backlash against Goldman and Skelly and the same sorts of complaints too. “bully” is one term that was used often when describing our past Superintendents.
You can also find endless example of people posting such complaints about our prior supers on the MV Voice web-site comments sections.
So, don’t try claiming people are attacking Rudolph for ulterior motives.
When parents are complaining, they are upset about what they say and for the reasons they say.
@No2Siblings,
I not only claim it, I’m damned sure of it. Not sure you were at the same meetings with Skelly and Goldman that I was at. And like I’ve said, it just wasn’t the same. I”m quite sure that at whatever company you work at, managers don’t go around spouting the results of your colleagues performance reviews. And I’m quite sure you don’t poll the staff about whether or not to replace an employee who is not providing the level of service you need. As a manager, that’s your job, because their failures reflect on you. So, you replace people as needed and hire the staff who can attain the goals you set forth. This is no different. Claiming that these dismissals are somehow random is quite silly and goes against any kind of reasonable management philosophy. Quite sure you’re aware of that, too.
My guess is that the wide disparity in “student academic performance”, words in quotes used in the article, is the 600 lb gorilla in the boardroom. This is a very difficult highly politicized and intractable issue, and it persists despite the school board’s avowed efforts to “narrow the performance gap”.
The student “performance gap” is not the issue. The gap can always be narrowed by bringing down the higher achievers. How would that help anyone? The job pool in America is not restricted to graduates of the Mountain View-Whisman School District. The Superintendent may have been a fan of Trump’s tv show. Good people do get fired – sometimes by very bad people.
@Cleave Frink
I honestly am not sure where you are coming from. I know for a fact that 2 of the principals were blindsided by the decision. Those same 2 have not received performance reviews in the past 2 years.
Steve Chesley was brought on as a principal the same year as Dr. Rudolph so not sure how he was evaluated when both of them were in a new job. Steve also went through an extensive interview process before becoming principal at Landels even though he was a district administrator before this job. How is Ms. Galassi just being placed into the position with no community feedback?
Being a former east coaster, I had a hard time adjusting to the climate and culture of CA and I think our Superintendent is too. It does not g: no community involvement, decision made, edict given, no change of course.
I also was at several meeting with Superintendent Goldman and there was much talk (at least at my school) about removing him after the whole teacher pay issue back in 2014-15 school year. He handled it terribly with absolutely poor communication and putting his nose in where it should not have been. The same is happening now, but it has become a pattern with Dr. Rudolph. No communication, no community involvement, edict given, parents in an uproar. Most learn, but our Superintendent has not. You need to have clear answers for the community, and if you can’t give it, (which has not been done) you need to own up and say the decision was made in haste. If you say the decision is based on a survey – make sure you can actually back it. We have TONS of statisticians, mathematicians, engineers, etc in the community that can see right through bad data analysis.
Except for expanding pre-school in our district, (yes, I’m sure there are a few others), I cannot see a good decision, yet, that has come out of our present superintendent.
@Jose
I attended the meeting last Thursday and witnessed you and the other trustees stay button-lipped in front of a packed auditorium. I found that to be very disrespectful. And now you appear here to state that “we need to show respect”. I agree that everyone needs to show respect and it includes the superintendent as well as the board. However, I do not interpret it as a sign of respect when the board president tells concerned parents that they should not applaud their appreciation of our principals. Therefor please state how you and/or the Board have shown respect to these long serving and dedicated professionals here on Town Square as you yourself ask for such respect.
I also find it disrespectful that you offer here on the Town Square forum to meet with the community with less than 24 hours notice and then lament that only one parent showed up with whom you spoke for an hour and a half. While I’m happy you found your voice, could you please share here what you spoke about for so long since you again bring it up here on Town Square? On this point, when engaged in such a long conversations, is there a point where you are engaged in influencing, crafting, promoting and/or creating educational policy? If so, can you state your qualification in education that puts you in such a position to do so? I ask because I have been under the assumption that it is the superintendent and the staff of a school district that are the ones to take on such a role by virtue of their professional qualifications yet, to date, we have heard very little that seems to make much sense regarding how this superintendent and his staff operate.
Perhaps even more disrespectful, as I understand it the Board, which includes you, has been reluctant to celebrate or recognize any of these principals commitment, accomplishments or long service to the community. Do you think this is/was a wise and compassionate, educated or professional approach befitting our community? What message is being sent by such callous tactics? What are the superintendent and school board doing to assure these highly-qualified professionals have not just been railroaded in their careers other than staying silent on this issue? I refuse to believe these principals are 100% responsible for achievement gaps or student success in a district that has a long history of such a gap and large population of low income English learners. Are you suggesting teachers, district staff, even parents share no part?
I would also like to ask if prior to your vote to remove the principals, did you meet with the PTA’s of the respective schools, those heavily involved in the school communities and fund raising, or have you just been focused on the outliers over coffee? I ask because perhaps the communities would like to know the manner and method by which you gauge support or conduct outreach.
The timeline recently presented for the interviewing of replacement principals (for example, the application windows have already closed) suggests either the superintendent has already a candidate in mind and that focus groups and other steps are just eye candy. Please clarify how this is not the case.
I’m equally concerned with conflicts of interest. Can you state you have no conflicts of interest?
Lastly, I have been told by other parents that you informed them you are being coached by MVLA high school board member Fiona Walter. Is this true and why? You have apparently also been telling parents that you are being groomed for a City Council bid by current council member Margaret Abe Koga. Is this also true and, if so, does this mean that your decisions are affected in any way by your political ambitions?
Thank you for your time to come on Town Square and get involved.
Hi,
The post about respect was in response to someone attacking a principal and her husband. I know my wife has also been verbally attacked online and did not want anyone else in that same position.
The coffee shop meeting was also in response to a personal attack of my wife so I thought to invite the person to discuss what concerns they had.
Bottom line for us as elected officials on the board is to do what’s best for our students and the district.
If you or anyone else would like to chat further please email me at jgutierrez@mvwsd.org and we can agree to a time and place.
Thanks
Trustee Jose Gutierrez
@Jose,
I respect your decision to not answer any of the questions previously posed recognizing that you must have a good reason.
However, in your “role as an elected official on the board is to do what’s best for our students and the district”, can you state how many competitive contracts were looked at before the board approved hiring Rudolph’s old boss (his former superintendent from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District in North Carolina) to coach him for two years to the tune of $57,000? As an elected official do you perhaps maybe think there could be a possible conflict of interest in that? (BTW a simple and rule of thumb is to solicit three bids.)
Can you also tell me how many competitive contracts the board looked at before again hiring Peter Gorman this year to train district office staff and principals? How much did that cost our district? As an elected official do you perhaps maybe think there could be a possible conflict of interest in that? Because it certainly looks like this fellow Peter Gorman has found a nice gravy train.
There also seems to be a pattern at play here. Are you aware that Peter Gorman was also hired by another Rudolph North Carolina colleage-turned-superintendent in Palm Beach County, Florida?
https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/local-education/pbc-schools-superintendent-wants-hire-old-boss-executive-coach/QUM6kTxvZ5tDIvltL1z2bK/
While we are on the topic, what are Peter Gorman’s links to Teach to One and the half-million dollars the district squandered on it? Peter Gorman has consulted with the Gates Foundation which is a prime investor of Teach to One. As a elected official do you perhaps maybe think there could be a possible conflict of interest in that?
Are you also aware the Peter Gorman previously worked for SUPES Academy, to do the same work he does now? Incidentally the now defunct SUPES Academy was indicted by the FBI in both Baltimore and Chicago:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/k-12/bs-md-co-supes-academy-20180123-story.html
http://www.chicagoreporter.com/superintendents-elsewhere-caught-up-in-supes/
Can you also explain why last month you and Blakley traveled with Rudolph back to his and Gorman’s old district, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District in North Carolina to tour schools there? What does as school district there have to do with our school district in Mountain View other than the fact that both Rudolph and Gorman hail from there? How much did such a trip to Rudolph’s old stomping grounds cost our community? Does the school board have any obligation to tell the community what exactly you and Blakley were doing or looking into on that trip? Who did you meet and talk to? Is this from where our new principals will be coming from? There seems to be a direct correlation between the trip and the
letting go of half the principals a week later.
The “bottom line”, as you put it, is that the board may not have conducted its due diligence and fiduciary duties. It even could appear that the board you sit on has become the victim of an organized racket that has nothing to do with what’s best for our student and the district, but everything to do with lining the pockets of certain individuals. It also does not appear that Rudolph is making any original decisions, but rather perhaps taking his cues and strategies from Peter Gorman. Further research will suggest that in many areas. But go ahead and conduct further research. Then come back and tell us exactly how Rudolph has tailored anything he does to the UNIQUE needs of our community by listening to OUR community’s input and recognizing the value of our hardworking and dedicated principals you have been so quick to dismiss while not recognizing what has been going on right beneath your nose.
Wow. This certainnly seems to be a very interesting turn of events. I hope the MV Voice investigates these comments. The contract issues certianly seem like they need additional set of eyes.
Note that this article http://www.chicagoreporter.com/superintendents-elsewhere-caught-up-in-supes/ also mentions
“Synesi Associates, LLC, a related company that’s also named in the indictment”
Isn’t it interesting that MVWSD hired PROACT to do the serve which yielded in Ayinde being hired and and Gary Solomon leads both PROACT and Synesi?
Look here http://www.mvwsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_418774/File/About/Board%20of%20Trustees/2014-15%20Board%20Meeting/fullagenda-20150122.pdf
for both the contract details and the fact that
“Mr. Solomon is the current CEO of PROACT Search and of Synesi Associates”
Dear @Citizen Jane – fake news! Trustee Jose Gutierrez had absolutely nothing to do with the hiring of Randolph. The extent of your ignorance is AMAZING! I see why the normally placid Mr. Frink is getting a bit vexed.
I and the Trustees that did hire Rudolph, and the well respected former Superintendent of the Dallas school district who helped us, knew of the problems of Buffalo Promise. We also knew of his work as both principal and vice principal in North Carolina. We also got references, and they were checked. Many good references – and IMO – a few shady situations that Rudolph had to honorably extract himself from (Buffalo school district – former NY Governor candidate calling progressional black women “the soul sisters” !!!)
Rudolph has already had experience as a school principal, in several settings in his professional career! Successful experiences at that. He was fully capable of evaluating brand new principals. Outside consultants did this also – look at the last pages of the Graham Middle School evaluation – Principal Thompson should have read this and been ‘on warning’. Last pages of SQR, School Quality Report.
https://www.mvwsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_418774/File/About/District%20Plans/School%20District%20Review/Mt%20View%20SQRs_Oct%202015_Graham%20MS_Final%20Report_.pdf
I personally knew (internet searches) of Rudolph’s ‘public candidacies’* at Salem and Palm Beach! Yes, guess what anonymous Jane, Chris and I and several Trustees did our due diligence. If you want this job (Trustee) Old Steve of Rex Manor and Mr. Frink have given the formula – go public and run for Trustee in November!
Otherwise @Citizen Jane, your public garbage is just that. Deserving of no more than being tossed out in the trash.
Steven Nelson is a retired Trustee of the MVWSD
* Most California Boards do not do ‘public candidacies’ for choosing Superintendents. The past Board chose Goldman without any community input whatsoever. The public input on Goldman’s replacement is well publicly documented (search The Voice archives)
PS Thompson in particular was on my radar for several years as Academically UNDERPERFORMING. The 2015 report on her school only confirmed what I had personally observed, heard from teachers there, and had confirmed by API data from 2009-2013. (not Great Schools rubbish). CA Dept of Education, “similar schools rankings” fell under Thompson from 8-7 to 2-4. The 20-40% lowest academic achievement of similar parent demographic middle schools. SIGNIFICANT. Academics seems to not have improved in the Smarter Balance era (Common Core curriculum).
Contract – there is a significant problem with MVWSD now allowing superintendent-alone signed contracts of up to $87,000. I voted against this assignment of Board Responsibility when I was on the Board (and had such a vote).
@ Steven Nelson
No “fake news”, @Citizen Jane doesn’t reference Rudolph’s hiring, but rather the extended contracts offered to Peter Gorman, his former boss. Many of those (perhaps all) happened under Jose’s watch.
Of course, Jose is not alone in this. Other Trustees should be questioned for all the issues raised by Citizen Jane.
“[Jose] and Blakley traveled with Rudolph back to his and Gorman’s old district, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District in North Carolina to tour schools there?”
I wonder how many candidates for the new principal positions we will be seeing from that region?
More details here http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article36972000.html
(The entire article is worth reading.)
Gorman is listed as a former speaker or instructor for SUPES Academy, along with former CMS superintendent Heath Morrison and current Superintendent Ann Clark.
SUPES Academy closed this year. It was under FBI investigation, along with Chicago Public Schools, in connection with a no-bid principal training contract, Education Week reported this spring.
@ Citizen Joe (a relative of Jane’s 🙂 I was quite aware of the contract-direct connection to Peter Gorman, his former boss (and former CA Superintendent, and former Eli Broad education award winner). I reviewed and voted to approve that contract as part of hiring, 1st year employment. So did ALL of the Trustees at that time. When Gutierrez was appointed to replace Chaing as a Trustee, he also voted to do this the 2nd year of employment.
My own thinking (I can’t share the others) is that Gorman, as a successful Superintendent in a couple of states (including California) and as a former ‘clear professional mentor’ of Rudolph, would have a lot of skin-in-the-game to make sure he got good advice. Rudolph’s problems (IMO) started with his tutoring in OPACITY in administration by Bd. President Ellen Wheeler, who met and advised him weekly in his first year and a half in MVWSD.
Trustee Wheeler, from the first time she was Bd. President, has continually strived to take things like the Slater School closure, back into the dark rooms of OPACITY. Check the Voice archives.
It would have taken the Administration little effort to Post to the Public Website in 2017, “Site Administrator Criteria for Evaluation.” Why the OPACITY? I have to file a damn Public Records Request to even see the two public letters on this area that the Palo Alto Daly Post quoted in their article on MVWSD principals. Why the OPACITY?
Why the OPACITY? Chiang is entirely right, the Board majority have abandoned their duty to give this community the pre-knowledge communications, in writing, that this particular community demands. And Superintendent Rudolph, on his own, (IMO) only does this on half the major items that he should (TTO:Math, Cooper School site residential development contract, Independent Education Program/homeschooling, Principal Evaluation Criteria)
Former Trustee Nelson is correct in his assessment. While he may not fully recognize that the worst of the district entrenchment was in defense of his caustic style, he is right that the lack of preventive, proactive, and empathic engagement and inclusion have been at the core to its past and current crises.
Mr. Nelson is no longer on the board, but the entrenchment continues, so does the board’s oppositional attitude towards critical feedback.
Trustee Wheeler, who has admirably dedicated over a decade to serving Mountain View, and who is right on many many issues, has been wrong to push away critics rather than seeking to include them. One has to look no further than how the board refuses to make Trustee Coladonato board president during his term as a means to isolate and at times, discredit, fair criticism.
Trustee Wheeler will likely succeed at preventing critical viewpoints from leading the board when Coladonato and Wheeler are up for reelection this November, and Coladonato won only thinly last election. Ironic, since the board voice most receptive to those critical current district practices (Coladonato) may be swept out by that discontentment.
The cycle of public crises and disillusionment of parent leadership will continue to reoccur regardless of who was, or is, or will be superintendent unless the public demands the board to change its attitude towards public engagement. If the board changes, you’d be surprised how quickly a superintendent falls in line in matching those organizational attitudes.
The board means well but Mountain View deserves better than the processes in place right now.
Why are we paying our Superintendent $220k and providing coaching services at $57k? With a salary of $220k I would expect the employee to be able to fully perform the duties of the role and then some from day one. Clearly something is wrong with this picture when teachers can’t afford to live here. Perhaps the the salary structure should change so that the incentive is in the classroom vs the board room?
PUBLIC POSTING of “Administrator evaluation process” by the MVWSD.
https://www.mvwsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_418774/File/About/Communications/News%20and%20Hot%20Topics/Evaluation%20Process%202017-18.pdf
The “Current Process” is exactly as I have recently commented on, and as I personally verified with several principals in 2016, while I was a Trustee of the MVWSD. Alan Wessel seems to be totally in error in his strident assertions otherwise.
I have asked The MV Voice to request the ‘blank” evaluation forms that were used, and the new one. (California Public Records Act)
Why does the MVWSD make this information so darn hard to get? Try to figure out where in the heck this is posted, when it was posted, and where the ‘permanent place’ is for this information. Right now, it is down at the bottom of a 28 item list.
Mr. Chiang, American democracy was build, not on ‘finder pointers’, but men and women who stood up and spoke up or wrote on their views for improving the defects of this America. Those who, in the first instance, pledged their ‘live, fortunes and scared honors’ on that process (The Declaration of July 4, 1776). I’m sorry that you have really not grown up enough to grasp that fact as a personal truth. Just grow up my man!
spelling corrections (not automated)
“finger pointers”
‘Lives, Fortunes, and sacred Honor’
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/
@ Steven Nelson
Thanks for posting the link to the new “Administrator evaluation process”! https://www.mvwsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_418774/File/About/Communications/News%20and%20Hot%20Topics/Evaluation%20Process%202017-18.pdf You would think the district would make it more readily available.
In the timeline I see a “January- Mid Year review (full written eval)” and a “June – Final Eval (Full written eval)”.
I also see “November and February are check-in meetings”.
Nowhere do I see Feb/March release of principals!
Another “strident assertion” by
Alan Wessel
@Alan Wessel: Administrators are hired on a year to year basis. They are “at will” employees. As a courtesy, the district notifies them by March 15 ( just like the teaching staff) if they are not going to be rehired. Administrators are also informed prior to March 15th if there any concerns about their continued employment. Anyone who tells you differently is not being truthful or was in denial of what they were being told.
There are situations regarding safety and negligence where staff exits must be forced, mysterious, or even abrupt.
But most the time, it’s about fit, and in those cases, how we exit members of our education community is an indicator of our school culture and values.
Anyone who has given years of service to our schools, and has not done anything wrong, and even the opposite, has built a record of past achievements and is now perhaps not the right fit for the district’s current strategic goals, deserves a proper exit.
Proper meaning, they should have in partnership with the district, tactfully explained their departure as a “moving to new opportunities” and “here’s the record of their achievements” rather being released in a specter of low performance that falsely impugns these educators long record in the district.
These education leaders will land well, districts around us are always looking for good leaders. Yet, it’s the Mountain View community that should take this experience to self-reflect on what message and culture did we just transmit to our educators.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
Looks like we have all replacements hired:
https://www.mvwsd.org/about/communications/news___events/welcoming_new_principals_and_assistant_principal